"As You Like It" presented by National Theatre Live!

Once again The Travelling Toe and a Dear Friend attended a telecast of a Shakespeare play presented by National Theatre Live.  The play, "As You Like It" was shown at the Magnolia Theater located in the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.  Amphibian Stage Productions sponsored the production.

First page of "As You Like It" from the "First Folio" of Shakespeare's plays, published in 1623.

The Travelling Toe and Dear Friend having seen numerous National Theatre Live productions found this one to be our least favorite.  

William Shakespeare

Shakespeare's tale is full of mistaken identity, love lost and won and family feuds. This play is known for the very famous speech "All The World's A Stage".

Rosalind is a young girl who is close friends to Celia who is the Duke's daughter.  But Rosalind is banished from the court, so Celia and Rosalind cook up a plan to escape in the middle of the night. Rosalind disguises herself as a young man and Celia as a poor woman.  

Also part of the story line is a young man, Orlando, who is being mistreated by his older brother and eventually has to flee for his life.  When Orlando leaves, his trusted servant Adam goes with him.

In one way or another (of course) all these people end up in the Forest of Arden, along with a shepherd, a shepherdess, a country boy, a country girl and other strange people.  But somehow Shakespeare wraps up all the entangled stories and provides a happy ending with each person winding up with the the right person.  

The stage setting was very inventive. The first act took place in an office environment with desks, chairs, and tables. Then as the characters were entering the Forest of Arden, these tables, desks and chairs were pulled up on long chains, left hanging down and became the forest.  In the background, a chorus provided the sound effects of forest life.  And some even came on stage to play the part of sheep for the shepherd.  

NT Live always presents an interesting take on Shakespeare's play.

 National Theatre Live

Amphibian Stage Productions 

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth 

NT Live: As You Like It